How long is food safe when stored in the refrigerator during a rainy day?

Faced with the reality of storms and floods causing long-term flooding, the Food Safety Department ( Ministry of Health ) provides instructions on preserving food groups at home.

Fresh food

Fresh foods can be refrigerated for 3-5 days. Therefore, families should buy pork, beef, chicken, then prepare and store in the freezer. When needed, they can be thawed and processed as usual. Vegetables and fruits should also be selected that can be stored for a long time.

In addition to meat, you should buy 3-5 types of green vegetables such as mustard greens, spinach, Malabar spinach, squash, and pumpkin to keep in a dry place. In cool weather on rainy days, green vegetables can be kept outside the refrigerator for 2 days and in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, potatoes, and carrots can be kept outside for 3-5 days.

To ensure food safety during the rainy season, foods need to be properly stored in the refrigerator.

With eggs, if stored properly, they can last for 15-20 days. They should be kept in the main compartments of the refrigerator to maintain a stable temperature and keep them fresh longer. Additionally, eggs should be kept in their original cartons to reduce the risk of breakage.

Dry, ready -to-eat food

It's necessary to check that you have enough rice, salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cooking oil. Some dry goods that should be on hand during rainy and stormy days include: dried fish, instant noodles, canned goods such as canned meat, canned fish, instant sausages, dried shredded pork, and various types of bread, pastries, and condensed milk.

If there is information about a severe and prolonged storm, it's a good idea to stock up on extra bread, pastries, and condensed milk in case cooking becomes impossible, so you still have ready-to-eat food.

For canned foods, pay attention to the expiration date and plan a balanced diet for your family.

How to store food

You need to check the refrigerator temperature. Refrigerators help extend the shelf life of food for a short time, but the temperature inside the refrigerator must be adjusted to the appropriate level. If the refrigerator is not cold enough, it will create a very favorable environment for harmful bacteria to grow.

The ideal refrigerator temperature is below 40 degrees F (about 5 degrees C). At this temperature, foods are safer to eat.

During a power outage Refrigerator and freezer doors must be completely sealed to maintain cold temperatures. A freezer full of food, if the door is tightly closed, will keep food cold for about 48 hours. If the freezer is only half full, it will keep food cold for 24 hours.

Refrigerators only maintain their coolness for about 4 hours after a power outage. After 4 hours, spoiled food must be discarded. Although this food may not smell bad, it can still contain bacteria that can cause illness to you and your family, especially those with weakened immune systems such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

The following foods should be discarded: cooked or raw meat, fish, eggs, milk, and dairy products. Also, leftover food from previous days, such as tuna, rice, pasta, and salad, should be thrown away.

When the power is restored, check the refrigerator. If a thermometer is in the freezer and the temperature is below 4-5 degrees Celsius, the food is still safe to eat. If you are more careful, you can check each package of food. If it is still covered with ice or below 4-5 degrees Celsius, you can continue to keep the food cold or cook it.

You should discard any spoiled food in the refrigerator and freezer, and clean out the refrigerator. When the temperature inside the refrigerator drops below 4-5 degrees Celsius, you can put new food in it.

The Food Safety Administration notes that storms are often accompanied by flooding and can contaminate drinking water sources. When your house is flooded, you should boil water and let it cool before drinking, or drink bottled water during this time.

Families should have measures to store clean water in tanks, barrels, buckets, basins, and other suitable items, in case of water cut-off.

Also, have plenty of bottled water, bottled fruit juice and canned milk on hand.

All are kept in a dry place so that they can be easily used when needed. Do not leave them in places in the house that are prone to flooding.

For one person in 1 day should have at least 3 liters of water, or 45 liters of water for a family of 4 people.

You should store drinking water for at least 3 days in case of emergency, when you cannot boil water.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuc-pham-an-toan-bao-lau-khi-bao-quan-trong-tu-lanh-ngay-mua-lu-185240912105641758.htm